Delivering the 2014 commencement address at the University of Southern California, Salesforce founder and CEO Marc Benioff publicly credited Amma (Mata Amritanandamayi), whom he affectionately calls “Ammachi,” as the inspiration behind his philanthropic vision. Benioff recalled meeting Amma early in his career and receiving a piece of guidance that would shape both his companies and his life:
Don't forget to do something for others.
— Amma
That counsel, he told the graduating class, became the seed of Salesforce's pioneering 1-1-1 philanthropy model, through which the company dedicates one percent of its equity, product and employee time to charitable causes. The model has since been embraced by thousands of companies worldwide through the Pledge 1% movement, inspiring new giving and volunteerism in communities everywhere. In sharing the story with a new generation of graduates, Benioff pointed to Amma's simple call to selfless service as a guiding principle — evidence of how her message of compassion in action continues to ripple through the worlds of business and technology.
